State Briefs

Public assistance sought in '12 double homicide

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - Officials are seeking the public's help for new leads in an unsolved double homicide that occurred nearly two years ago in central Arkansas.

Authorities said Friday the victims- 27-year-old Herman Hill and 24-year-old Alexis Crawford, - were found dead in May 2012 in a North Little Rock home. An 18-month-old child was found asleep inside the home and was taken to the Arkansas Children's Hospital for medical evaluation.

The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office says foul play appeared to be involved. No suspects have been identified by officials in the case, though investigators are trying to generate fresh leads.

AG's office rejects wording of alcohol ballot item

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - The Arkansas attorney general's office has rejected wording of a ballot proposal that would allow alcohol sales in all of the state's 75 counties.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's office on Friday said the text and popular name of the proposal each contained ambiguities.

David Couch of Little Rock is sponsoring the item and must have approval of the proposal's wording before being able to start gathering voter signatures.

The proposal would repeal laws that allow counties to conduct wet-dry votes and would make alcohol sales legal across the state.

Osceola loses $4.9M lawsuit against Entergy

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit by the city of Osceola in which it tried to recover $4.9 million from Entergy Arkansas in a dispute over wholesale electricity prices.

U.S. District Judge Brian Miller ruled that Osceola should have filed its claim when another Entergy customer filed a complaint with federal regulators.

Arkansas Business reports Osceola sought reimbursement for alleged overpayments for wholesale electricity between 2007 and 2009.

Entergy argued in court papers that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission had jurisdiction in the case and said Osceola should have pursued its claim in a similar case filed by a Missouri public utility, Union Electric.

Arkansas Medicaid director Allison to leave post

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - The director of Arkansas' Medicaid office who led implementation of the private option is leaving his position.

Andy Allison has been state Medicaid director since 2011. The Department of Human Services announced Friday that Allison would leave, as of June 1 to pursue other opportunities.

Allison has led the Medicaid program through adoption of the private option health insurance program, which the Legislature created to accommodate President Barack Obama's Medicaid expansion plan.

The state Medicaid director of Health Care Innovation, Dawn Zekis, will step in as interim director.

DHS Director John Selig says the agency will conduct a nationwide search to replace Allison.

Mayflower to lift post-tornado curfew Saturday

The city has had a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew in place since a deadly tornado ripped through the area Sunday. The curfew will end as of 7 a.m. Saturday.

Mayflower's animal control office is asking items to help officers deal with stray animals. The office needs one large, four medium and five small dog kennels, chicken feed, straw and collars and leashes.

The city is asking for 42-gallon contractor-grade plastic bags and plastic containers with lids to help with cleanup.

Fifteen people died when the tornado started near Ferndale and continued for about 41 miles to El Paso. The National Weather Service says the twister was a "high-end" EF4, with winds near the top of the 166-200 mph range.

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State Briefs

Officials are seeking the public's help for new leads in an unsolved double homicide that occurred nearly two years ago in central Arkansas.